BOONE
Home of Aooalachian State Uni
versity, in Boone, Blowing Rock
and Linville Scenic Triangle.
VOL. LXXXI—NO. 12
WATAUGA DEMOCRAT
BOONE WEATHER
1968 HI Lo Snow Free. *67 Hi I.o
An Independent Weekly Newspaper
Eighty-First Year of Continuous Publication
Sept. 10 68 54
Sept 11 63 50
Sept 12 65 46
Sept 13 72 39
Sept 14 73 41
Sept 15 72 43
Sept 16 69 45
121
29
tr.
67 54
65 54
62 42
60 38
66 48
70 39
72 46
BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, SEPTEMBER 19, 1968
10 CENTS PER COPY
28 PAGES—3 SECTIONS
DEMOCRATIC RIBBON CUTTING EVENT—First row, left to right, Glenn Hodges, County
commissioner: Miss Helen Underdown, Register of Deeds; Mrs. Rachel Hartley, Vice-Chairman
Democractic Committee; Jim Dugger, Chairman; Second row; left to right, Randy Phillips,
Candidate for the State House of Represnetatives; Rufus Edmisten, representing U.S. Senator Sam
Ervin; R. C. Winebarger, candidate for County Commissioner; Ward Carroll, Sheriff of Watauga
County. (Flowers Photo)
Democratic Headquarters
Opened; Rally Is Planned
More than a hundred Demo
crats from various sections of
Watauga County took part in
the opening of Democratic head
quarters at the Boone Auction
Gallery building on West King
August Visits
To Parkway Up
51% From 1957
Visitors to the Blue Ridge
Parkway for the first eight
months of this year indicated
an increase of 43%, a National
Park Service tabulation reveals.
Last year to this time there
were 5,518,328 visitors as com
pared to 7,885,181 this year.
In August this year there was
an increase of 51% over August
of last year. This August there
were 1,844,840 visitors. August
of last year 1,214,430.
The break-down by Parkway
districts follows: the first figure
in each case being for 1968, the
last 1967:
James River, Va. Mile 0 to
105, 210,243; 184,769.
Rocky Knob, Va. Mile 105
to 217, 340,394; 283,301.
Bluffs, N. C. Mile 217 to
305, 324,489, 215,672.
Asheville, N. C. Mile 305 to
469, 969,714; 530,688.
Street Saturday.
Jim Dugger, Democratic
Committee chairman, welcomed
the gathering, while Rufus Ed
misten, representing Senator
Ervin, spoke briefly and told
the gathering that the Senator
planned to be in Watauga in
October, when the Senate has
adjourned.
Jerry Perry, of Appalachian
State University, stood in for
Congressman Whitener who was
unable to be here, while Randy
Phillips, candidate for the State
Legislature spoke.
Miss Helen Underdown, who
is unopposed, was recognized.
Glenn Hodges, incumbent
County Commissioner and can
didate for re-election, spoke
enthusiastically of the prospects
of all party candidates winning
in the County and State in No
vember, while R. C. Winebar
ber, candidate for County Com
missioner, said he’s actively
campaigning for all candidates.
Dr. Robert Randall, Univer
sity professor, drew enthusi
astic applause when he said,
“I would be very happy to hear
that Democrats are ready to
support all Democratic candi
dates from Vice-President
Humphrey, all the way down/’
James Dugger approved Dr.
Randall’s remarks and said he
would be working for all can
didates. Speaking up for Con
gressman Whitener he referred
Angell Speaks On Plan
To Aid Retarded Children
W. Guy Angell, Superintend
ent of Schools and a member
at the County Board of Educa
tion, was the featured speak
er at the Watauga County As
sociation for Retarded Child
ren last week.
He spoke on the facilities now
available in Watauga County for
the trainable and educable chil
dren and said that he is pleased
with the progress of the train
able class and Appalachian State
University's help with this
class. He added that classes at
Watauga High School would be
made available if there was suf
ficient demand.
Angell said that pilot pro
grams in connection with the
federal government’s work
with special education is now
being initiated in Watauga, Ashe
and Alleghany counties.
Hugh Hagaman, a member of
the Board of Education, said
that he felt more children could
be helped through special class
es but as yet some have not
been indentified for such class
es.
Ralph Yates, president of the
WCARC, said he was pleased
with the Association’s interest
and desire to work with the local
education board.
He added that the Associa
tion is striving to improve public
relations with local groups and
organizations. He said he wel
comed comments and questions
concerning the local Associa
tion and its work.
to the Republian party as being
willing to stand still and re
ferred to G.O.P. opposition to
medicare, social security and
many other progressive mea
RALLY PLANNED
It was announced that a fund
raising rally will be held Oc
tober 18th, when Pat Taylor,
Candidate for Lieutenant-Gov
ernor, Congressman Whitener
and Senator Ervin will be pre
(Continued on page two)
MRS. LYNDA LYONSSHAFFER
Mrs. Shaffer
Gets Loan Grant
For Vital Study
Mrs. Lynda Lyons Shaffer
has been awarded an academic
scholarship and a scholarship
loan grant for prospective
teachers of the mentally re
tarded.
She will apply the yearly $950
stipend to four years of study
at Appalachian State University
where she will enroll this fall
to major in special education.
Daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Dolph Lyons of Boone, she is
married to Stephen Shaffer of
Miami, Fla., and they have a
son, Stephen Paul, who is 15
months old.
Crowded1 Sleeping•, DiningFacilities
5,500 To Enroll At ASU
At Beginning New Year
1,500 Freshmen
Will Enroll
To Set Record
Fall quarter classes will start
Monday amid crowded sleeping
and dining facility conditions at
Appalachian State University.
A record on-campus enroll
ment is expected for the open
ing of the new academic year.
Some 5,500 students—including
1,500 freshman—are anticipat
ed.
The cramped living conditions
for some of the students is to
be only temporary pending the
completion of three new re
sidence halls and an additional
dining area. Four new, high
rise residence halls were due
to be ready for occupancy, but
only one of the two men’s dor
mitories will be completed.
“Portions of the other re
sidence halls for men and por
tions of both new structures
for women will be occupied,”
said Ned R. Trivette, Direct
or of Business Affairs. “These
three will be ready for full
occupancy in about one month.”
Students as signed to unfinish
ed floors of the new buildings
will be placed in other dorm
rooms in which three will be
temporarily noused.
The new Bavarian Inn, a
large dining facility being con
structed beneath the current
cafeteria, also was due to be
ready for use by the beginning
erf the fall quarter. However, it
will not be available until Oct. 1.
Two huge structures have
been completed this summer
and will be placed into immed
iate operation. The $2 million
Varsity Gym and the $2 mil
lion new library will provide
the most modern facilities for
study, physical education and
recreation.
Registration for the fall quar
ter will be held Thursday and
Friday, with the first classes
set for Monday morning. The
fall quarter convocation is sche
duled for 10 a.m. next Wed
nesday in Broone-Kirk Gym.
The anticipated 5,500 on
campus enrollment will com
pare with the 4,940 of last fall.
The total in other recent years
has been, 4,417 in 1966; 3,954
in 1965; 3,428 in 1964; and 3,
183 in 1963.
United Fund
Kickoff Monday
The Gateway Restaurant will
be the scene Monday, Sept. 23,
for the Kickoff of the Watauga
County United Fund campaign.
The dutch breakfast meeting
will begin at 7:15 a.ir. with the
board of directors, campaign
workers and community volun
teers in attendance.
According to Wade Wilmoth
and Mark Hodges, who are di
rectors of the drive, the goal
of $20,541 is a record for United
Fund in this area. Fund leaders
hope to have reached the goal
by Tuesday, Oct. 8.
JOE KING'S PORTRAIT OF DR. PLEMMONS
Dr. Plemmons Portrait Unveiled
A large color portrait of Dr.
W. H. PI em mo ns, which to be
placed in the Appalachian State
University student center which
is named in his honor, was un
veiled Sunday at a luncheon
attended by several invited
guests.
The portrait, which shows Dr.
Plemmons seated on a porch
before a panoramic mountain
background, is the work of Joe
King, a Winston-Salem artist
who paints under the name of
Vinciata. It is eight feet wide
and four and one-half feet high.
Among those attending the
unveiling ceremony were King,
several members of the Plem
mons family, ASU’s Board of
Delivery Mail An All-Day Job
Delivering the mail is an all
day job in Boone.
The averave rural carrier
reports to the local post office
at 7:30 a.m. He may get through
handing out all his mail about
4 in the afternoon.
Local carriers who work on
foot are in the same boat time
wise. They carry the mail on
their backs and hoof it from
house to house.
It seems it would take long
er than the 30 or 40 minutes
it usually takes to empty the
smaller delivery trucks: One
handles roughly 75 packages a
day while the larger one may
deliver well over 100.
The Boone Post Office
employs some 20 governmental
workers. Four of these are city
carriers and four are rural
route delivery carriers.
Trustees, the institution’s
Board of Visitors, members of
the Administrative Council of
the university, and the perma
nent officers of the graduating
class of 1967 which began the
move to have the portrait paint
ed.
Dr. Plemmons, a native of
Asheville, has served as Ap
palachian's president for the
past 13 years. He was aware of
the portrait presentation in ad
vance, but was surprised by
the luncheon location—a plush
new Presidential Dining Room
which had recently been con
structed in a section of the
University Cafeteria without his
knowledge.
Miss Kay Plemmons of Ashe
ville, a niece of Dr. Plemmons,
unveiled the painting which was
officially presented by Mike
Morgan of Nashville, Tenn.,
president of the Class of ’67.
Dock Watson, Son To Take
Folk Music To Mexico City
Two North Carolina folk
groups will perform at the up
coming Olympics inMaxicoCity
as part of this country’s official
cultural program.
The groups—an eight-mem
ber team of the Blue Ridge
Mountain Dancers and blind folk
singer Arthel L. (Doc) Watson
and his son, Merrill, of Deep
Gap—will appear along with
some 30 other distinguished
folk entertainers from through
out the United States.
They will perform under the
auspices of the U.S. State De
partment.
Ralph Rinzler, director of
the Festival of American Folk
life of the Smithsonian Insti
tution, Washington, D.C., said
the American Folk Company
will present its first perfor
mance October 7 at a recep
tion officially opening the Oly
mpic Games. Other per
formances will be given through
October 16 at various theatre
locations designated for the
Olympics’ cultural program.
Prior to returning to North
Carolina, Rinzler said, the
dance team will take part in
the Festival of American Cul
ture in St. Louis, Missouri,
October 17-18.
The Blue Ridge Mountain
Dancers, comprised of youths
from the Hendersonville area,
was formed in 1960 to preserve
the mountain folkart of “buck”
dancing, frequently described
as a variation of the Irish
“jig". Since that time, the
dancers have gained national
acclaim as one of the country's
most authentic folk dance
groups.
In addition to performances
at the New York World’s Fair
in 1964, the group has enter
tained at the National Folk Fes
tival in Covington, Kentucky,
in 1963, the Newport Folk Fes
tival in 1965 and 1966, and the
(continued on page two)
Other class officers present
were Jerry Mayhew of Danville,
Va„ and Jerry Bridges of
Shelby.
John P. Frank of Mt. Airy,
chairman of the Board of Trus
tees, presided over the cere
mony. W. J. Conrad of Winston
Salem, long-time chairman of
the board, spoke briefly after
which King discussed the paint
ing.
The unveiling procedure was
accompanied by several mo
ments of noise and mirth-pro
voking events. First unveiled
was a characture painting which
showed Dr. Plemmon’s head
on the body of “Yosef,” the
mountaineer hillbilly who is the
university’s athletic mascot.
As the comical drawing was
displayed, the real “Yosef” ran
into the room and fired his
huge rifle. He was followed by
band members who presented
a rousing version of the ASU
fight song.
As the real portrait was un
veiled, the University Band as
sembled outside the room play
ed Appalachian’s Alma Mater.
King who once served in the
N. C. General Assembly, is an
internationally-known artist
who took his professional name
from the town in Italy where he
studied. He is the owner of
the longest painting in the world,
a canvas which stretches some
300 feet.
King’s wife, Earleen, is a well
known sculptress and decora
tor.
A LOW DRAFT CALL
The Defense Department
issued a November draft call
of only 10,000 men for the
Army. This is the lowest re
quest made of the Selective
Service System since March,
1965.
Will Past Watauga Voting Record Be Guide In 1968?
Which of the pres Ldentlal can
didates will residents of Wa
tauga County favor in the forth
coming election?
Will their party preferences,
as expressed at the polls in
previous national elections, in
dicate how they will vote this
time?
While there is no sure guide
as to how much fence Jumping
will take place in November,
some Important light on the
subject is shed in a nationwide
study, based on thousands of
personal interviews, conducted
by the Survey Research Center
of the University of Michigan.
It shows that once a voter
makes his choice of a political
party—and this usually occurs
before age 30—he generally
sticks to it for life. Only one
out of five switches thereafter.
This, according to the study,
has been the most important
single influence in our elections.
Do these general observations
apply in Watauga County and, if
so, to what extent?
With respect to the last three
presidential elections, the local
vote for the major party can
didates was as follows:
In 1964, 3,932 were for the
Republican and 4,031 for the
Democrat. In 1960 it was 5,020
Republican and 3,440 Democrat
and, ih 1956, 4,636 Republican
and 3,223 Democrat.
That count shows that the
Republicans have been receiv
ing 56 percent of the major
party vote to 44 percent for the
Democrats.
Combining the results of those
elections, the Republicans col
lected a total of 13,588 votes
and the Democrats, 10,694.
In the State of North Carolina
as a whole, the Republicans
garnered 47 per cent of the votes
cast for the two parties and
the Democrats, 53 percent.
The question that arises, with
this year’s election, is whether
history will repeat itself. Will
voters maintain party loyalty,
for the most part, or will special
considerations this year cause
big shifts?
Much depends upon what tin
report calls the‘‘volatile voting
behavior of independents*' and
upon the 11 1/2 million young
people who will be old enough
to cast their first votes for a
president.
In Watauga County, approxi
mately 1,348 of these new
comers, who were too young to
vote in the 1964 election, have
now reached the trwdifying age